Forward Into The Kingdom

We’re off!  Another epic journey into spiritual manhood, living life on the edge, growing in strength, power, and most importantly - LOVE.  We’re going to break through our unbelief, and become believing believers. The Kingdom of Heaven will become just as real to us as this present physical realm.  In order to do that, we’re going to have to cover some basics, retract some erroneous teaching, and then stretch out into new territory. You’re not going alone on this journey.  I’m going with you in a major way.  I’ll be stretching my own belief system right along with you.  We’re going to risk it all for the GLORY of God.  This will be more than just talking about our faith; we will put our faith into action in a purposeful way.

 The Kingdom is advancing, and we are commanded by our Lord to be a dynamic part of it. From this point on, we are going to move into what others consider the supernatural, but for us it will become natural.  We’re going to take our eyes off of ourselves, and prepare for a Kingdom life.  To do this, we need a Kingdom perspective.  In order to have the Kingdom perspective, we have to be born again.  The Kingdom perspective is unique to the born again believer.  There are no spectators in the Kingdom.  The Disciples tried it, and Christ would have none of it.  If you are trying to live a ‘spectator’ Kingdom life, you are not reborn. You can’t fake the Kingdom.  The Kingdom life begins within a REAL relationship with Christ. 

You’ve already heard our pastor talk about having a Kingdom point of view.  The Kingdom viewpoint isn’t from Heaven looking down, but from Heaven looking in.  It is completely different from our earthly point of view. Yes, we’re going to have to change the way we think. (It’s called ‘renewing your mind.’) As I began to write this study, I found myself grimacing at some of the errors I’ve taught over the years.  I’ve even messed up with you guys.  I’ve kicked myself numerous times over the last few months as the Word of God became clearer to me.  THE PROBLEM:  I’d grown up believing certain things, without questioning their validity.  I’d allowed myself to become a Christian Pharisee. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is all about changing deluded thinking.  He tolerates ignorance, but destroys deception when we pursue His truth. Now I cry out, DO IT IN ME Holy Spirit.  Remove the error, and make me your man of faith.  Holy Spirit show me your Kingdom view.

The Kingdom viewpoint isn’t from the top down, it is from the inside out, and from the Kingdom into the heart.  GOD IS ALL ABOUT THE HEART!  The Kingdom of Heaven is about the Spirit of God invading the heart, and setting up residence there.  God doesn’t look on the outside of a man, but looks at the heart.  Men look at the outside, and hope the heart looks as good as the man.  The ‘good looking’ people who talk smooth, dress sharp, and tickle our ears, always make religion their tool of choice.  The “bully pulpit” is a powerful tool.  The controllers, and manipulators of this world can twist the faithful into knots with their slick, works oriented ‘take’ on God.  Man-made religions are about doing things to win the favor of God or gods, while Kingdom living is doing things because you have the favor of God.  Man’s traditions lead you away from the Kingdom, being led of the Spirit takes you deeper into the Kingdom.  Your citizenry is never in question, only your contribution to the Kingdom.  You won’t be judged, but you will be held accountable.

 

EXAMPLE TIME:  IF you are a citizen of the United States, you have the rights, and privileges of being a citizen at birth.  You didn’t do anything in the womb to earn your citizenship, and you can’t do anything after you are born to earn your citizenship.  You are a citizen.  You give ‘back’ to your country by service, duty, and lawful living.  Your rights (favor) give you the freedom to live the life of a citizen, while your heart, leads you to serve others in order to pay forward the gift of citizenship.  The other side of citizenship can be gained from looking at those who are given visas to live in the US.  Many people want to ‘live’ in the Kingdom of Heaven, but their hearts are actually back in their ‘home’ country.  They come, and go, as they want without any thought of taking up permanent residence. They want the bennies, but none of the commitment. 

Once we accept that we are ‘born again’ citizens of the Kingdom, we’ll see this world differently, we’ll live this life more fully, and our desire will be to see the Kingdom grow.  We’ll live as God intended us to live, do as God asks us to do, and say those things he tells us to say.  We will give ourselves to the Lord to accomplish His purposes. We won’t do it out of fear or duty, but out of a heart of love that desires to live completely for him.  To embrace the Kingdom mindset, we’re going to have to make some tough choices, set our priorities, and cast off the traditions of men.  We’ll be challenged at every turn to embrace the Kingdom viewpoint.  I won’t be coming at you as someone who’s DONE it, but as someone walking in it with you.  Revelation will come from you as well as from me.

You might be wondering what I hope to see happen in this study.  I’ll tell you what I want to see in my own life.  I want to see the lame walk, the deaf hear, the mute speak, the dead come back to life, and lives set free to serve Christ.  I want to see healing flowing like a river, joy erupting like volcanoes, and deliverance from every bondage of the evil one.  In other words, I want to see the Kingdom invade people’s lives everywhere I go.  This brings me to the first TRUTH of the Kingdom.  I don’t care what you do with these lesson sheets, but you should try to make the TRUTHS a part of your life. 

1^st Kingdom Truth:  The Kingdom invades the earth every time we choose to live it out.  (Luke 11:20)

LET ME DO ANOTHER EXAMPLE.  When I was in the Air Force, I was ‘on duty’  24/7, 365 days a year.  There was never a time when I couldn’t be called back to ‘duty.’  The government gave me thirty days a year to take ‘my leave’ of the service, but even while on leave, I was an ambassador of our Government.  It wasn’t a job, and it wasn’t a career, it was a life choice.  My job was what I did, my career was what I hoped to become, but even when I was on leave, I lived the lifestyle of a military man.  If someone asked what I did for a living, I would tell them I fixed aircraft, that was my job, ‘what I did.’  After serving the mandatory four years, I chose to make the Air Force a career, but when I was asked what I was, I always answered “I’m an Airman.”  No matter what rank I was as an NCO, I was still an ‘Airman.’  It was a lifestyle that dictated what I said, what I did, how I dressed, and where I went.  It was more than a green ID card with my picture on it, or a uniform I donned every morning. The Air Force was in my heart, and soul.  Wherever I went, wherever I stood, I was the US Government.  To this day, seventeen years after leaving the service, I am a veteran of the Armed Services.  That can’t be taken from me.  It is not a set of benefits, or special treatment, it is who I am.  I served, therefore I am.

   

It is the same for us as Ambassadors of Christ.  We’ve become ministers of God’s reconciliation.  That is why I like Wes Yoder’s description of us as “Christ-Men.”    I am a Christ-Man, and I have everything I need for life and Godliness.  I am no longer who I was, and I am not all I will be. My walk is what I do. Our words, actions, thoughts, and dreams proclaim the Kingdom to the powers, and principalities of the air.  The Kingdom of Heaven literally invades the earth.  Wherever I stand is holy ground, I am heaven on earth. We split the heavens and bring the purity of a holy God to a corrupted world.  Our country is the Kingdom of God!  Our uniform is the righteousness of God.  Our fellowship is the ‘unit’ we serve in, and our weapons are spiritual weapons that destroy the works of the evil one. Our ammunition is the goodness of God.

THE DIFFERENCE!

Everything is going to change, even the way we study.  We’re going to move beyond head knowledge, occasional acts of goodness, and fruitless attempts to live ‘like’ a Christian.  We’re going to follow the examples laid out before us by the Lord our savior.  He came here to show us how it is done in the Kingdom of Heaven, and we are going to follow HIS example.  WE ARE GOING TO DO THE WORKS OF THE KINGDOM.  When we do the WORKS of the Kingdom it is essential we have a witness.  In the Air Force, we had a list of things that we were expected to master before we could proceed in rank. You had a ‘reporting official’ who documented your completion of the tasks.  In the civilian world, every corporation has a list of skills you must learn in order to progress in the company.  The person who witnessed your progress is often called a ‘trainer.’  Our witness, will be one another. The miraculous, and supernatural are to bring glory to God through faith in Christ.  The works we do, become HIS witness. Those works need a reliable witness. When the Kingdom is revealed, there are no excuses for unbelief.  Healing, and Miracles will not cause anyone to believe, but it will force those who see them to make a choice. 

THE PRIMARY CHALLENGE is to become what God created us to be.  New Year’s resolutions end up as vain promises, and empty hopes.  Why?  Because we don’t reach out for the ONE who fulfills all resolutions.  I have high expectations and hopes for this study, because I know what writing it has done in me.  SO, instead of making a list of things you won’t do, or you want to do, I am going to recommend making ONE word the meditation of your walk this year.  This isn’t a homework assignment, challenge, or any other thing we’ve done.  During this week, search the Lord, and ask for one word to guide you throughout this year.  Meditate upon it, write it down on a stick-it-note and place it places where you can see it all the time.  Look for it in your scripture studies, exercise it in your prayers, practice it in your walk.  JUST one word!  Mine is ‘compassion.’  You can have my word if you want, or you can use thousands of other words from the fruits of the Spirit, to define your purpose.  Just one word.  For me, compassion challenges me at every level of who I am.  It goes to what I want to see happen to me through this study.  In order for me to see the things I want to see, I’ve got to have compassion. Your ‘word’ will be personal, and yet I promise you, we’ll see it working in you. There is a verse in a song from Rick Pino that says; “make us watchmen of compassion.”  That is what I want to be. 

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS:  Homework is for your personal growth.  Homework will cause you to expand your knowledge of the Word of God, deepen your relationship with Christ, and hear the leading of the Holy Spirit.  They will be PERSONAL acts of worship.  They are designed to make you more sensitive to HIM. 

ADMONITION WARNINGS: Admonition warnings are to prepare you for a challenge to the flesh. If you are someone who doesn’t like other people telling you what to do, or how to do it, you would do better not to read it.  You can know when the admonition is over by the admonition ending in three asterisks. 

EXAMPLE ADMONITION WARNING:  Homework assignments are not something you can do on Saturday night after working all week long, playing video games, or watching TV for countless hours?  The KINGDOM LIFE is more than Saturday night hurry up sessions. I’ve noticed over the years, that some of you put off doing your homework till the last moment. It is sad to me, because I know the assignment came from the Holy Spirit. I’ve done them before you have, and know their value. It proves your hearts haven’t embraced the reality of the light within you.  You often don’t see the value of the homework, and don’t trust that it came by the direction of the Holy Spirit. When you respect the Spirit in you, you respect the Spirit in others. This attitude is prevalent even in our own services. There have been many times where the Holy Spirit will speak for an action to occur, and we stand like bumps on a log.  If we fail in our services to do what the Holy Spirit commands, how can we go out into a hostile world, and be trusted to do what the Holy Spirit commands.  In military terms, if you won’t fold your blanket in a simple ‘e’ fold during basic training, how can they trust you to follow orders during combat?   I know it’s a tough statement, but we must have a heart set on trusting one another with the grace of God.  We need to check the attitude of our hearts.  DO WE REALLY BELIEVE OUR LEADERSHIP IS HEARING AND SPEAKING THE ORACLES OF GOD? Many people don’t hear the voice of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis, simply because they refuse to hear the voice the Holy Spirit gave to them to speak to them on a weekly basis.  If you hear HIS voice, hearken, and obey.  These are tough words! Many have fallen asleep in their walk with Christ.  If we were awake, we wouldn’t need to be yelled at.  I remember a man who did nothing but complain about the sermons a pastor was preaching about going out and witnessing.  “I wish he’d preach on something else!”  declared the man.  His friend looked at him and said, “I bet he wishes you would do what he’s been preaching so he can move on.”  If we can’t get past the first instruction, how can we expect the Holy Spirit to give us another more acceptable one?  ***

FAITH IN ACTION:  All the FAITH IN ACTION assignments are meant to be accomplished with your brothers in Christ.  They are not pass or fail assignments- they are simply ‘DO IT’ assignments.  When you are given a FAITH IN ACTION assignment, you will be given two weeks to accomplish it.  That means the ‘elder’ of the team must find a time when the team can get together and do the assignment.  At the end of the assignment, we will take whatever time it takes to share the results. The assignments will become more challenging as we ALL grow, (myself included.)  There is no point of mastery or having ‘arrived’ in these assignments. We will simply DO.  These aren’t skill sets.  We were created for ‘good works’ (Ephesians 2:9) to accomplish the purposes of the Father. If those good works could be accomplished in your flesh, (ie; giving, feeding, clothing, comforting etc…) then there would have been no reason for Christ to come. These acts are born into men by human nature.  When the Kingdom invades this earth through us, the battle isn’t a moral battle OR social salvation, but an all out war against sickness, disease, and bondages.  That is why you will need your brothers in Christ.  There will be wounds, casualties, and even losses suffered during the war.  You are vulnerable to attack when you are out on the front line.  Your brothers need to have your back.  FAITH IN ACTION assignments WILL put your faith in action.  If you get brave enough, you might even videotape your forays.

CHALLENGES TO BELIEVE:  When you are given a challenge to believe, it resides somewhere between a homework assignment and putting your faith into action.  Challenges to believe are meditations upon words through periods of fasting and prayer.  As I write this, I don’t know how many CHALLENGES TO BELIEVE we will do.  I think it will all depend upon how we progress.  Ask the Holy Spirit. 

KINGDOM TRUTHS: Kingdom truths are based upon scripture, but inspired of the Holy Spirit.  Christ taught Kingdom truths, and then sent His Spirit to lead us into ALL truth.  Truth doesn’t change, but its application does.  As the world around us becomes more complex technologically, there are certain truths that transcend, and even challenge the carnal viewpoints embraced by many who proclaim Christ.  There is always a violent reaction when the Kingdom of Heaven comes into contact with the kingdoms of this earth.  If a Kingdom truth makes you angry, you might want to examine yourself.  I am never concerned about putting out a Kingdom truth, but at the same time, feel free to study one out if you feel I’ve strayed beyond the lines.  As always, I’m open to discussion (not argument.) 

Those are the differences in this study.  I will post the lesson sheets directly onto my blog, to which I hope you’ve already made a favorite on your browser.  You’ll no longer have an excuse for not knowing what is happening.

      

HOMEWORK and CHALLENGE TO BELIEVE:  Let’s begin our epic journey with devotion.  Beginning Monday, challenge yourself to go on a five day fast.  Let’s begin the New Year with an earnest heart and a desire to see the Kingdom rise up within us as never before.  Personally, I’m going to do a food, and entertainment fast.  If you choose to fast, I want you to write the name of one person you want to see healed, one person you want to see come to Jesus, and one person who needs God’s favor.  As you fast, devote your usual mealtime to praying for these people.  Ask God to reveal to you the right time to heal, witness, and bless the people you listed.  I know it’ll be tough, but I’m going to do this with you.  Go as far as you can. If you can’t fast a meal, fast entertainment.  If you can’t fast entertainment, fast a meal.  I personally know what our last fast did for me.  I watched what it did in the lives of those I love and cherish.   They are hard to do, but so rewarding afterward.